It's been a good show so far, but I'm dropping it.

It's another isekai series, with a hero from modern Japan who died and got reborn in a fantasy world. This one (Rimuru) is a slime. He's a little blue blob. Slimes are traditionally among the weakest monsters, but this one has been gifted with:

(a) Great Sage skill, a superintelligent AI that lives in his brain and will analyse anything perfectly and immediately. It can also manufacture anything, if given the right raw ingredients. If Rimuru swallows some wood, he can use Great Sage to print any book he's ever read (without errors).

(b) Predator skill, the ability to swallow anything and mimic its abilities, magic powers and physical form. If he swallows a dragon, he'll become capable of flying, breathing fire and turning into a dragon himself.

It's too much. Rimuru gains new superpowers just by getting up in the morning. He's indestructible. Everyone loves him, girls will fight over him and he can insta-kill anything. He has so many powers that he can beat a fire demon by using powers he'd forgotten about. He doesn't even get worried in his fights. He keeps talking in the same chirpy, carefree voice, no matter what's happening.

There are two shows here. The pointless one is about Rimuru fighting baddies. The entertaining one is about Rimuru gaining allies, establishing a monster town and making everyone work together. Fortunately so far there's been far more of the latter.

Try to fight him and he'll start by apologising for making trouble and offering a deal. Try to eat his allies and he'll see your side of things, with the minimum of casualties en route to helping everyone understand the situation. He gives monsters names. (This is a big deal in this universe, making them evolve into higher-level monsters with more powers.) He identifies and goes on quests to solve problems like the village having no one who can build houses or make clothes. It's pleasingly civilised. Most of the time, he's actively avoiding fights and/or sorting out situations where his powers are useless, e.g. an ally's legal issues.

The show can also be funny. It's charming. However it can also do more heavyweight storylines, e.g. the girl who went from being firebombed in World War Two to being possessed by a fire demon and compelled to burn her friends to death. "Eat me." Ep.8 had some emotion.

In short, I enjoyed watching most of these episodes and I'd definitely be continuing with the show if I thought it would stay like that. Unfortunately its trajectory looks ominous.

1. He gains a human form after a while. Slime was more interesting, although he switches between the two.

2. He keeps acquiring more subjects. They all adore him. The women have big boobs and are capable of squabbling over him, although his human form is genderless unless he chooses to create genitals. Furthermore, evolved monsters generally turn into standard anime pretty boys and girls, even when their original forms looked way cooler (e.g. the ogres). (The only comedy exception, Gobta, is the show's stealth star.) This show is a bit nervous of properly monstrous monsters, which makes it look a bit timid compared with, say, Overlord. (Compare the two shows' lizardman races, for instance, and try not to laugh.)

3. Rimuru's powers are such a steamroller that they can damage even a fight-free storyline. The (strangely tall) dwarves, for instance, have a free trade city where all fighting is prohibited. I approve. More sophisticated than most isekai worlds, then. However Rimuru's ability to duplicate anything could have destroyed the city's economy and made redundant much of its industry.

4. Not all problem characters are macho antagonists. (Good.) Instead, some of them are annoying idiots. (Like Gabiru.)

5. Sometimes there will be a big fight. The show builds up to one in ep.14 and it's excruciating. Empty, predictable and dull, dull, dull. (The one in ep.7 felt more meaningful for a while, though.)

If you were running an RPG campaign as GM, you'd never allow Rimuru's powers. I quite enjoyed the show, but not so much that I'm bothered about dropping it. Ep.14 was horrendous. I also see a future for the Kijin of pre-emptively and uselessly fighting strong enemies to demonstrate their strength before Rimuru steps up. However there's plenty of gentle humour and other stuff to like, e.g. the Grunting Dwarf and the comedic heroism of Gobta. I might easily be missing something wonderful by dropping the show... but what the hell.